St. Louis Massage Envy spas looking to add 300 employees - St. Louis Business Journal

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Dan Lowery, developer for Massage Envy spas in the St. Louis market

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Ben Unglesbee
Reporter- St. Louis Business Journal
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Dan Lowery, developer for Massage Envy Spas in the St. Louis market, said recently he and staff started adding up all the jobs they were trying to fill at the 15 locations in the area.

When they added the massage therapists they needed along with facial specialists, managers and guest services workers, the number approached 300.

"It was a staggering thing," Lowery said.

So the company decided to hold its first-ever job fair to recruit. The fair is slated for March 10 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights. Those with licenses or interest in a career with the spas will be able to meet with current employees and managers from area spas. "It's a soft, soft sell," Lowery said. "It's a real schmooze thing."

Schools with massage therapy and other related programs will also attend the job fair, including the Healing Arts Center, Missouri College, the Skin Institute and Crave.

Lowery said he expects to add up to four new Massage Envy locations in the region within the next 18 months, including in Springfield Illinois.

As the regional developer, Lowery finds local franchisees to buy new spas, helps open and staff the locations, and does regular training and inspections for the spas. In return he gets 2 percent of gross sales. Lowery, a former alderman and mayor of Shrewsbury and owner of Fenton-based computer company LSI Inc., in fall 2004 paid $200,000 for the Massage Envy development rights.

Scottsdale, Arizona-based Massage Envy, with 900 U.S. locations, employs 21,000 licensed massage therapists and has a national member base of 1.5 million customers, according to the company.

Average sales for a Massage Envy spa are $1.4 million. Initial investment in a new spa runs from $412,600 to $938,00, according to the company. The initial franchise fee is $45,000 for the first location and $35,000 for additional locations. Franchisees pay the company 6 percent of gross sales per year and another 2 percent of gross sales as an advertising fee.

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